Praxis School Counselor (5422) Practice Exam

To integrate the school counseling program with the overall educational process, what should the counselor do first?

1. Align the school counseling program goals to the school improvement goals

2. Survey teachers for topics to present in school counseling classroom lessons

3. Hold meetings to introduce the counseling program to parents

4. Request professional development opportunities from the principal

The correct answer is: Align the school counseling program goals to the school improvement goals

Integrating the school counseling program with the overall educational process is an important aspect of creating a successful and effective program. In order to do this, the counselor should first align the goals of the school counseling program to the school improvement goals. This will ensure that the counseling program is in line with the overall goals of the school and will contribute to the overall success of the students. Option B may seem like a good idea, as it involves gathering input from teachers. However, this would be better suited as a secondary step after aligning the goals, as the teacher's input can then be utilized to support the aligned goals. Option C may also be tempting, as it involves introducing the program to parents. While it is important for parents to be aware of the counseling program, this should not be the first step. First, the counselor should ensure that the program is aligned with the school's goals, and then involve parents to further support those goals. Option D, requesting professional development opportunities, may be beneficial for the counselor but does not directly address the integration of the counseling program with the overall educational process. Therefore, it is not the first step the counselor should take.